Fascism for dummies (part 3)

After socialism, Fascism trains its guns on the whole block of democratic ideologies, and rejects both their premises and their practical applications and implements.
(17) The war was revolutionary, in the sense that with streams of blood it did away with the century of Democracy, the century of number, the century of majorities and of quantitiesMusolini“Victory by the ballet box is morally and legally correct”Nick Griffin

Thus understood, Fascism, is totalitarian, and the Fascist State – a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values – interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people (14)Mussolini

“The second you deny freedom of speech, you turn on this hideous totalitarian mentality”Nick Griffin

Definition of Fascism taken from an essay by Chip Bertlett:

* Nationalism and super-patriotism with a sense of historic mission.

* Aggressive militarism even to the extent of glorifying war as good for the national or individual spirit.Absolutely none in the BNP

* Use of violence or threats of violence to impose views on others (fascism and Nazism both employed street violence and state violence at different moments in their development).

Contrary to popular belief, this does not happen in the BNP (more than any other party). You will hear many stories of it, but there will be little or no evidence. When you hear this claim, ask for verifiable proof. There is, however, evidence for this.

* Authoritarian reliance on a leader or elite not constitutionally responsible to an electorate.

BNP are a legal party.

* Cult of personality around a charismatic leader.

That would be no. Griffin was challenged for the leadership about a year ago.

* Reaction against the values of Modernism, usually with emotional attacks against both liberalism and communism.

* Exhortations for the homogeneous masses of common folk (Volkish in German, Populist in the U.S.) to join voluntarily in a heroic mission–often metaphysical and romanticized in character.

There is no metaphysical, spiritual (that Mussolini pushed so hard) struggle in the BNP. genuine extreme ideologies – especially on the right – carry these traits. The BNP do not.

* Dehumanization and scapegoating of the enemy–seeing the enemy as an inferior or subhuman force, perhaps involved in a conspiracy that justifies eradicating them.

The BNP are bound by common law which would block any actions such as this. Our uninformed friend classed the BNP as Holocaust deniers. I think this person would have the authority to tell him he is wrong.

* The self image of being a superior form of social organization beyond socialism, capitalism and democracy.

* Elements of national socialist ideological roots, for example, ostensible support for the industrial working class or farmers; but ultimately, the forging of an alliance with an elite sector of society.

* Abandonment of any consistent ideology in a drive for state power.
The BNP are a nationalist party, and spend time defining 21st century British nationalism. There is a driving ideology, just as there is for most parties.

“Demonising the practice of fascism, especially the terror and horrors of Nazism, without understanding the different routes by which people could be attracted to fascism is a serious intellectual error.”

Roger Eatwell

And those who use the term as a slur without understanding or investigating what it means are guilty of belittling the many who died under fascism and the ultimate hypocrisy of being fascists themselves.